NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday became emotional as he bid farewell to Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday. Calling Azad a “true friend,” Modi said the Congress leader had “has set very high standards as MP and Opposition leader.”
“Posts come, high office comes, power comes and how to handle these, one must learn from Ghulam Nabi Azad Ji. I would consider him a true friend,” PM Modi said. “Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad has distinguished himself in Parliament. He not only worries about his party but also had a similar passion towards the smooth running of the House and towards India’s development. His work will inspire generations of MPs to come,” Modi said in his address today. Recalling his association with Ghulam Nabi Azad, the prime minister said, “I will never forget Shri Azad’s efforts and Shri Pranab Mukherjee’s efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. Ghulam Nabi Ji was constantly following up, he sounded as concerned as if those stuck were his own family members.” “I have known Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad for years.
We were Chief Ministers together. We had interacted even before I became CM, when Azad Sahab was very much in active politics. He has a passion not many know about – gardening,” he shared. On Monday, PM Modi had showered praise at Azad while taking a dig at internal differences within the Congress. Modi praised Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, saying he avoids using harsh words. He recalled that Azad had praised holding of DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PM added with a smile, “but I fear – you have praised… I am confident that people in your party will take it in the right spirit and not mistake it as an opinion of G-23 and do something opposite”.
